Here are 14 spine and neurosurgeons who provide care for professional hockey teams in the United States.
If you would like to recommend another surgeon or practice for inclusion on this list, please contact Anuja Vaidya at avaidya@beckershealthcare.com.
Daniel J. Albright, MD (Raleigh Orthopaedic Clinic, Raleigh, N.C.). Dr. Albright is a team physician for the Carolina Hurricane. He is a dually trained orthopedic joint and spine surgeon who has a professional interest in both hip and knee replacements as well as neck and spine pain. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, North American Spine Society and former president of the Wake County Medical Society. During his career, he also served as the president of the Thomas B. Dameron, Jr. Orthopaedic Education Foundation and a North Carolina statewide organization called "Protect Health Care Now." Dr. Albright earned his medical degree at Louisiana State University in New Orleans and completed his residency at Yale-New Haven (Conn.) Hospital. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at St. Luke's Medical Center in Cleveland and in hip and knee replacements at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
Robert S. Bray Jr., MD (DISC Sports & Spine Center, Marina del Rey, Calif.). Dr. Bray — a former hockey player himself — is the founder of DISC Sports & Spine Center, a proud partner of the Los Angeles Kings. DISC is the official medical services provider for Red Bull’s athletes and has previously been affiliated with the United States Olympic Team. During his career, Dr. Bray was a founding member of the Institute for Spinal Disorders at Cedars Sinai Medical Center and headed the spinal programs at three different hospitals. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Bray participated in the development of the Zeiss Microscope. He holds multiple innovations on spinal implants and surgical instrumentation. He is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, North American Spine Society and Association of Military Surgeons. Dr. Bray earned his medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and completed his residency in neurosurgery at Baylor Affiliated Hospitals.
Frank Cammisa, MD (Hospital for Special Surgery, New York City). Dr. Cammisa is a spine consultant for the National Hockey League Player Association. He is the chief of the spine service at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York as well as an associate scientist in its research division. He is also a professor of clinical orthopedic surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York. His areas of clinical interest include minimally invasive spinal surgery, computer-assisted spinal surgery, microsurgery, athletic spinal injuries and motion-preserving procedures. He has received numerous research grants and has served as one of the lead investigators of a seven-year, multi-center national study funded by a $21 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. He earned his medical degree at College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Hospital for Special Surgery. He has also completed a fellowship in spine surgery at the University of Miami.
Geoffrey Cronen, MD (Florida Medical Clinic, Decade City, Fla.). Dr. Cronen is an official team physician for the Tampa Bay Lightning and several local collegiate athletes. He has a professional interest in treating patients with spinal deformities, trauma, tumors and structural imbalances. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Cronen serves as a clinical assistant professor at the University of South Florida. He is a member of American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Cervical Spine Research Society, Scoliosis Research Society and North American Spine Society. Dr. Cronen earned his medical degree and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the West Virginia University School of Medicine in Morgantown. His additional training includes a fellowship in adult and pediatric spine surgery at Washington University in St. Louis.
Ralph G. Dacey Jr., MD (Washington University Physicians, St. Louis). Dr. Dacey is a consultant neurosurgeon with the St. Louis Blues. He is chairman of neurological surgery, and his practice focuses on a number of neurological condition, including pituitary tumors, meningioma, brain tumors, peripheral nerve compression, cervical disc herniation and lumbar disc herniation. He currently serves as chairman of the Research Review Committee of the Society of Neurological Surgeons and is a former chairman of the American Board of Neurological Surgery. He was inducted into the Institute of Medicine in 2011 and serves on the editorial boards of Contemporary Neurosurgery and
Journal of Neurosurgery. He earned his medical degree at University Of Virginia in Charlottesville, where he also completed his neurosurgery residency.
Clint J. Devin, MD (Vanderbilt Health, Nashville, Tenn.). Dr. Devin is a spinal consultant for the Nashville Predators and Vanderbilt Athletics. He has a professional interest in treating cervical spine disorders, motion preservation and minimally invasive spine care. During his career, Dr. Devin was part of a team that developed a system to track patient outcomes and use the information to improve care around the country. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Devin is an assistant professor of orthopedic and neurological surgery at Vanderbilt. He earned his medical degree at Vanderbilt and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. His additional training includes a spine surgery fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Andrew Dossett, MD (The Carrell Clinic, Dallas). Dr. Dossett is a spine consultant for the Dallas Stars, Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and North American Spine Society. During his career, Dr. Dossett has authored numerous articles on lumbar spinal fusions and neck injuries among athletes. He has also given presentations based on his research nationally. Dr. Dossett earned his medical degree at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, where he also completed his residency in orthopedic surgery. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery from Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles.
Arash Emami, MD (University Spine Center, Wayne, N.J.). Dr. Emami is a consulting team physician for the New York Rangers. He is a physician with University Spine Center and serves as the director of spine surgery at Saint Joseph's Regional Medical Center in New York City. He has a professional interest in treating patients with complex spinal disorders and has expertise in minimally invasive spine surgery. He was among the first spine surgeons to perform a total disc replacement in the lumbar and cervical spine. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Emami serves as a clinical assistant professor at NYU/Hospital for Joint Disease and is a member of North American Spine Society, Scoliosis Research Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Emami earned his medical degree at the University of Chicago, where he also completed his residency. His additional training includes a fellowship at the University of California in San Francisco.
Andrew Hecht, MD (Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York City). Dr. Hecht is the spine surgical consultant to the New York Islanders and New York Jets. He is the co-director of spine surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center and director of the NFL Spine Care Program for retired players at Mount Sinai. During his career, Dr. Hecht founded and served as medical co-director of The Newton-Wellesley Spine Center and the director of the spine surgery fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital. He has a professional interest in minimally invasive spine surgery, spinal trauma and spine tumors. He is a member of North American Spine Society. Dr. Hecht earned his medical degree at Harvard Medical School in Boston and completed the Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Residency Program. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Emory Spine Center in Atlanta.
Lawrence Lenke, MD (Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis). Dr. Lenke is a spine consultant to the St. Louis Blues, St. Louis Rams and St. Louis Cardinals. He serves as a professor of orthopedic surgery at Washington University School of Medicine, where he also serves as co-chief of adult and pediatric spine care, scoliosis and reconstructive surgery. Dr. Lenke is also director of spinal surgery at Shriners Hospital for Children in St. Louis. Dr. Lenke is a member of North American Spine Society, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Scoliosis Research Society. In addition to hisclinical work, Dr. Lenke has published several articles based on his research in scoliosis, acute spinal cord injury and spinal implants. Dr. Lenke earned his medical degree at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Washington University School of Medicine. He also completed his pediatric and adult spine surgery fellowship at Washington University.
Thomas Michael Mauri, MD (North Shore LIJ Medical Group, Great Neck, N.Y.). Dr. Mauri is a spinal consultant with the New York Islanders. He is the vice chairman of the department of orthopedics at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y., and Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y. He also serves as chief of the division of spine surgery at North Shore University Hospital and director of the spine center at the Harvey Cushing Institutes of Neuroscience of the North Shore-LIJ Health System. His clinical interests include surgery for excessive spinal motion, herniated discs, spondylolisthesis and scoliosis. He earned his medical degree at Albany (N.Y.) Medical College and completed his residency at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York and North Shore University Hospital. He has completed a fellowship at Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center in Downey, Calif.
Leonard D. Nelson Jr., MD (Raleigh Orthopaedic Clinic, Raleigh, N.C.). Dr. Nelson is a spinal surgeon with Raleigh Orthopaedic Clinic, the official team orthopedists for the Carolina Hurricane. He joined the clinic in 1990 and he has a professional interest in laminectomies, decompressions, fusions and minimally invasive spinal fusions. He has received additional training in artificial lumbar disc surgery. He is a past president of the North Carolina Spine Society, a member of North American Spine Society and a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He is board-certified and earned his medical degree at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C., formerly known as the Bowman Gray School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Greenville (S.C.) Memorial Hospital.
Frank X. Pedlow Jr., MD (Boston Spine Surgery). Dr. Pedlow is the spine consultant for the Boston Bruins. Dr. Pedlow served as chief of orthopedic spine surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston until he decided to go into private practice. He is currently a member of the orthopedic surgery department at the Mass General as well as an associate professor of orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School in Boston. He focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of degenerative conditions of the neck and back, minimally invasive spine surgery, athletic injuries to the spine and spine care of the injured worker. He is a member of the North American Spine Society and International College of Surgeons. He earned his medical degree at New York Medical College in Valhalla and completed his residency at Harvard Medical School/ Massachusetts General Hospital. He has also completed a spine fellowship at Emory Spine Center in Atlanta.
Jerry M. Petty, MD (Carolina NeuroSurgery & Spine Associates, Charlotte, N.C.). Dr. Petty is a neurosurgeon to the Carolina Panthers and practices with Carolina NeuroSurgery & Spine Associates. He has a special interest in lumbar and cervical disc disease and belongs to the International Council of Motorsports. Dr. Petty earned his medical degree at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and completed his residency at Barnes Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine. His additional training includes a fellowship in neurological surgery at Washington University School of Medicine.
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